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(Model.)

2Sheets-Sheet1. E. B. PIERCE. Machine for Making Horseshoe Nails. No. 241,562.

Patented May/1721881.`

2 Sheets- Sheet 2- (Model.)

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ERASTUS E. PIERCE, OF NEI7 BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGrNOR` OF f ONE-HALF `IO CHARLES M. MERRICK, OF SAME PL'AOE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING HORSESHOE-NAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent `No. 241,562, dated May 17, 1881. Application filed November 5, 1880.V (Model.)

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERASTUS E. PIERCE, ot"V New Brighton, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, l

have invented certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Horseshoe-Nails, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of horseshoe-nails by what is known as forging-that is, by gradually reducing a nail-rod 1o to the required shape; and my invention consists in the mode and means hereinafter set forth, whereby the end of a stationary rod is rapidly formed into the shape of a nished nail, bevel-pointed, ready to drive, or into a nail-blank to be nished by a subsequent operation, and the inishednail or blank then detached from the rod.4

The special objects of my invention are to rapidly forge the blanks, or produce nails of zo uniform size, length, and shape, with compact and well-nished points, and to prevent the heating and wear of the dies and consequent variation in size of the nails, and to avoid the necessity of frequentlyrenewing the dies. y In the drawings, Figures l to 6, inclusive, are views illustrating the progressive formation of the nails by reducing the end of the rod. Fig. 7 is atransverse sectional elevation of part of a machine used in carrying out my 3o` invention. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, of part of the machine. Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8. Fig. l() isa plan view showing a pair of -roller-dies. Fig. 1l is an elevation ofn Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a side view, 3 5 and Fig. 13 an end view, of one of the pointingdies, and Fig. 14 a side view of one pair ot' the beveling-dies. y v

Heretofore in the forging of horseshoe-nails it has been customary to `form the nail from 4o the end of a rod by means of four hammers, or byhamrners, dies, or rollers, or combinations of the same, operating in connection witha stationary anvil upon which the end of the rod is rested. Among the many objections to these modes of manufacture are, first, the difficulty orimpossibility of properly finishing the points of the nails; second, the rapid heating of the anvil, hammers, Src., by reasonof being brought in repeated Contact with each nail and consequent rapid wear of the same, resulting 5o in irregularity in the product of the machine; third, the destructive results of the percussive action of the hammers, dies, Src., and springing of the frame under varying pressures; fourth,

the variation in the size of the nails, owing to 55 thecontraction and expansion both of the frame and working parts of such machines.

Iovercome these objections and secure many attendant advantages by operating upon the v end of a stationary bar or rod by means of 6o traveling or rolling dies acting upon all four sides of the rod, gradually reducing it to the required shape without any prolonged or repeated contact of the hot rod with any one die, so that the dies do not heat and wear away as heretofore. The force of the blow is absorbed in the shaping of the metal, and not conveyed to the frame to rack the latter, while all the faces of the nail can be operated upon in quick succession, so as to impart with rapidity and 7o precision any form required.

One of the greatest difficulties in the forging of horseshoe-nails has resulted from the irregularity in the size of the nail-rod and the difliculty of maintaining it uniformly heated, so that, however perfectly the same may be fed, the nails produced are ot' irregular sizes, the points of many being imperfect and ragged.

I discard the idea of attempting to regulate the size of the nail by graduating the amount 8o of stock presented, but secure the desired result by presenting in all cases at least as much stock as will sufflce to make a blank equal in length to the finished nail, and after the formation of the blank, cutting oft1 the end of the 85 same so as to leave it a little shorter than the finished nail, Iand always exactly of the required length, and then subjecting the same to the action of the -pointing and -beveling dies, which are constructed to slightly elongate, con- 9o dense, reduce, and form the point to the proper shape, and produce unvarying results.

Different appliances may be employed for carrying out these operations. In the drawings I have illustrated aud will now proceed to describe such as I have found very effective.

The rod X, from which the nails are to be made, is heated by means of a furnace through which it travels, or in any other suitable manner, and is then placed in such a position, and there held, that while stationary, its end will be successively operated upon by roller-dies properly constructed, arranged upon and carried by a suitable frame so as to move past and shape each face and side of the rod. Thus successive rotating dies a a a2, &c., are carried over and act upon the upper side or face of theQ rod, which is gradually reduced and shaped between such dies and lower dies, t', which support and traverse the rod below, while side dies, b b b2 b3, &c., arranged in pairs, alternate in action with the upper'and lower dies and successively traverse the sides of the rod and co-operate with the other dies to elongate and form the reduced body or shank and head of the nail, and taper the sides of the shank near the end thereof. rIhe action of each pair of roller-dies is illustrated by that of the dies blo bu (shown in plan, Fig. l0) in the act of traversing the sides of the end of the rod X held stationary between them, the action of the rolls, as they revolve and travel in the direction ofthe arrows along the rod, being precisely the same as' if the rod were passed between the rolls turning in stationary bearings, the metal being rolled, consolidated, and formed into shape with great rapidity and precision, but without any lengthened contact with the rolls, which do not become so heated and do not wear away with such rapidity as do reciprocating dies. In the first instance the bar is fed forward to such an extent that the action of the dies, even with a minimum amount of metal at the lowest heat will produce a blank at least equal in length to the nail required, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the dies o c then cutting off any surplus metal on the line x, Fig. 1. 'Ihe solid end thus insured is acted on successively by pairs of side pointing-dies, d d', alternating with the upper and lower beveling-dies, e i f t', slightly elongating, reducing, and forming the point to the proper shape, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The dies ft' are followed by rolls gg', which straighten the nail, thus bringing it to the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 by one continuous series of operations without moving the rod, from which the nail is then severed on the line y, Fig. 3, by cutters h h', hereinafter more fully described.

By the mode of operation above described I overcome the objections incident to the modes heretofore in use, where stationary anvil dies or hammers are employed, which come in repeated contact with each nail throughout its entire length, the consequence being the reduction of temperature of the rod and the transfer of the heat to the working parts of the machine, causing the expansion and contraction previously noted. Y

I have not as yet described nor do I confine myself to the use of any special means for carrying and driving the roller-dies, as various modes may be adopted. They may be mounted in bearings on straight slides, and driven by gears, cams, or flexible shafts; or they may be arranged upon four converging disks, rotated simultaneously to bring the rollers successively into operation upon the stationary bar, the rollers being rotated positively and independently of the disks by cams or gears, so as to bring the working-surfaces to the proper positions on the rod; or, as shown in the drawings, they may be all carried by a single circular disk or frame, A, mounted upon a shaft, B, turning in hearings of a frame, O, suitably supported. The frame A is pierced radially to receive the shafts 4 4 of the roller-dies b b2, &c., d d', &c., and transverselyfor the shafts 5 5 of the rollerdies a c @fg h, &c. The radial shafts are driven by a stationary geardisk, E, bolted to the frame C, and having an annular rack, K, on each side, gearing with the pinions m ofthe shafts on such side; and the transverse shafts are driven by a stationary gear-disk, F, also bolted to the frame C, with the teeth of which engage pinions m on the ends of said shafts. The shaft of each of the inner rollers, o', g', and h', is geared with and is driven from the shaft of the outer roller. By this arrangement the rotation of the frame A insures the positive rotation of the various roller-dies, cutters, &c., so that each will act in perfectunison with the others. Theplain rollerdies 't' turn on transverse pins 1118, extending across an annular recess, Z, of the frame A,the sides of which recess maintain the rollers in place. Said rollers t' mayormay not be geared with the rollsaa, Sto., in the same manner as c g h. As the circular frame A revolves .with great rapidity each of the forming and operating appliances will remain in contact with the bar an instant only.

As a rotating cutter fixed to the shaft (like that shown at c) will not out the head of the nail at the proper angle, I employ the construction shown'at h 11.', where the cutter-roller l1. has a curved slot receiving a curved slide, r, one end of which is sharpened andforms the cutter and the other end is rounded.

Opposite the forward edge ofthe cutterroller is a cam-plate, J, so constructed that as the roller revolves in the direction of the arrow and the end of the curved slide 1" is brought against the plate J the said slide, while being turned backward by the rotation of the roll, will be suddenly thrust outward in a straight path across the space between the rollers h h', cutting against the edge 6 of the roller h, between which and the roller t/ the bar is severed on the line y, Fig. 3. The edge of the cutter is caused to travel in a straight line while severing the nail from the rod by the combined circular movements of the roller h backward and of the curved cutter-slide forward, the curve ofthe cutter-slide neutralizing the effect of the backward rotary motion of the cutterroller 71.. Ihe further revolution of the roll carries the blunt end of the cutter-slide away from the cam J when a spring throws it backward.

It may be noted that during the cutting the edge of the cutter and the cutting-edge 6 of the roller h are moving backward relatively to IOO IOS

IIO

Vters supported bythe frame C and brought into operation after the nail-forming devices have moved away from the rod.

As the rollers travel in curved courses, in order to straighten the nail the roller-dies g g have curved edges so eccentrically disposed as i regards their axes that on the forward travel of the dies from the position shown in Fig. 8

`and their revolution in the direction of the arrows the edges of the dies will coincide with a line, 3 3, tangential to the circular path in which the dies travel, thus bringing the `nail to coincide with such line and straightening the same. In case of mounting the roller-dies upon four converging disks or on a straight slide the nails would be formed straight, thus dispensing with the straightening device.

The cutters for severing the surplus metal from the end of the nail-blank consist of the roller c' socketed toreceive a straight chisel, c2, which is retained detachably by a bindingscrew, and the roller c, with a cutting-edge, c3, against which the chisel shears the nail.

It will be seen that as the roller-dies are all mounted on a single disk or frame, A, some special mode must be employed to introduce the end of the rod between the-coinciding seriesof dies. To do this I present the rod at an angle to the face of the frame A, as shown in Fig. 9, and tangential to the path of the rollers, as shown in Fig. 8; and such portions of the roller-dies a a a?, Snc., and of the outer series of edging-rollers b2 b1t bfi, 85e., as would, intheir rotation, come in contact with the rod at a point back of that portion thereof which is to form the nail are cut away'and so formed that they will admit the rod, and only begin to act thereon after the operating-edges are on opposite sides ofthe bar. One effect of the first pair of rollers, a a', is to bend so much of the rod as is to form the nail into a line parallel to the face of the frame A, in a position above the groove Z, Figs. l and 9, prior to beginning the reduction of the rod, after which itwill be further acted upon by the succeeding roller-dies brought above, beneath, and at opposite sides, while the remainder of the rod serves merely as a support for the portion acted upon, and is out of the way of the operating devices. I Y

The rod may be guided by a suitable grooved rest, X', and maybe presented. fed, and retained by hand or automatically by suitable feed mechanism, care being taken at each feed to present at least so much of the rod as will be sufficient to form a blank equal in length to the completed nail. i

As I employ only traveling surfaces the rod maintains its heat for a much greater length of time, as the contact of the rod once during the formation ofthe nail with `each of the rollerdies is for so short a time that the dies do not, except to a very limited extent, become heated,

and reduce the temperature of the rod. For example, supposing the above-described machine to be making one hundred nails per minute for ten hours consecutively, each rollerdie would be in contact with the hot rod hut twenty minutes during that time.

1t will be apparent that the variations which must occur from other modes of operation, owing to differences in the feed, temperature, and size and density of the rod, cannot affect the length or size ot' the product in this case; also, that the area of the nail will in all cases be the same at any given point, owing, first, to the fact that the roller-dies are all journaled in one solid frame. thereby preclding the possibility of the rollers springing apart; second, the contraction and'expansion of theroller-dies are neutralized by the contraction and expansion of the frame A. Thus the space between the peripheries of the roller-dies always remains the same. A further and very important resultis the condensing and solidifying of the nailpoints, so that a much superior product is se,- cured than by processes where the nail ends are spread and sheared, which operations have often the effect of opening and dividing the ber so as to form points liable to split.

`Where it is not desired to form a completed nail the dies may be so limited in number and so constructed as to form blanks rto be completed by a subsequent operation with a iinishing-machine.

It is obvious that the same principle of reduction is applicable to the formation ofarticles other than nails.

I claiml. The within-described improvement in the art of making horseshoe-nails, the same consisting in rolling and molding all sides of a stationary bar to form the end into a complete bevel-pointed nail, and then severing thelatter from the rod, as set forth.

2. In themanufacture of horseshoe-nailsfrom a bar, the mode described of finishing the nail by rolling the shank on4 all four sides, cutting off transversely any surplus metal, andi then beveling and finishing the point, as set fiorth.

3. The mode of automatically manufacturing horseshoe-nails, the same consisting in, rst, feeding the rod 5. second, forming the head and shank by rolling on all four sides of the rod, then, third, cutting off any surplus metal at the point; fourth, rolling the end to form a bevel-point, and, fifth, severing the nail from the rod, the whole being accomplished by a series of consecutive operations upon a sta tionary rod, substantially as set forth.

V4. The combination, in a nail-making machine, ot series of roller-dies and carrying and driving mechanism, whereby said dies are revolved positively and a-re brought successively in pairs into operation upon all the opposite faces and sides of a rod, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the series of traveling dies for forming the head and shank of the nail, of cutters for removing the surplus i IOO IOS

metal, and dies arranged to operate on al1 sides of the rod for reducing and shaping; the end to form the point, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with traveling formingdies arranged to operate upon all sides of a stationary nail -rod, of dies constructed to straighten the nail, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination. with the traveling; forining-dies arranged to operate upon all sides of a station ary rod, ofdies constructed to straighten the nail, and cutters for severing the nail from the rod, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the circular revolving carrier-frame, of dies carried on radial and transverse shafts, substantially as set forth, and a guide arranged to present the nail-rod at an oblique an glc to the frame and tangential to the path of the dies, as specified.

9. The combination, with the forming-dies to this specification in the presence of two sub-` scribing,` witnesses.

ERASTUS E. PIERCE, Witnesses:

WM. F. LLOYD, BENJ. WILBE. 

